Are you Considering Fat Reduction? Let’s Talk Maintenance!

The coming of the holiday season brings out our critical eye as much as the advent of bikini season. We know that there may be more than one occasion in which you want to fit into a little black dress – and feel good doing it. That’s why our Bryn Mawr office has established a menu of services that includes both surgical and non-surgical treatments for body-contouring. Because each method of fat-reduction takes time to reveal optimal results, now is a great time to schedule your consultation for liposuction, CoolSculpting, or SculpSure. It’s also a great time to consider how you can make it through the holiday season (and life, really) without packing on pounds you have no intention of keeping.

To support results from body-contouring treatment:

Do . . .

Add some fat to your plate. We heard for many years that fat is bad for us. This is true, but not entirely. There is such a thing as healthy dietary fat. Avocados are an example. When you consume healthy fats, your body is better able to metabolize fat inside your cells, which means smaller fat cells, which means hello, little black dress!

Work your muscles. Muscle mass is heavier than fat mass, but it is also needed for fat-burning. You don’t have to become an Olympic weight-lifter to add muscle strength; yoga classes or even body-weight exercises are sufficient for increasing the fat-burning fuel in your body.

Fill your glass. With water, that is. Hydration is crucial to cellular activity in the lymph system and the liver, both of which are involved in detoxification and fat metabolism. Sip several glasses or bottles of water throughout the day for optimal weight management.

Don’t . . .

Fill your glass too many times. Alcohol consumption has been identified as one of the best ways to add girth to the waistline. This is bad if you want to look and feel your best in whatever clothing you wish to wear.

Rely on crunches to flatten your stomach. We know how awful it is to hear this, but we have to say it: fat cannot be reduced in targeted areas. That is, without professional intervention. That being said, an exercise routine needs to be well-rounded in order to minimize the midsection. The side benefit is that fat is better managed all over the body.

Make that morning cup of coffee your breakfast. There is mounting research that points to the value of a hefty breakfast (about 700 calories). If you want to maximize this suggestion, also set a window of about 8 hours for your daily meals. Intermittent fasting, beginning with a healthy breakfast, has been shown to promote stable weight.